Recoil and muzzle redirection, such as muzzle flip and muzzle climb, are significant factors affecting the manageability of today's propellant-based weapons. Management of these factors has been a goal of weapon manufacturers since their inception. In fact, existing strategies for compensation of these factors have involved modifications by the user to both behavior, such as wearing gloves or shooting a smaller cartridge, as well as modifications to the weapon itself.
Weapon modifications used for compensation of these factors have primarily involved devices for redirecting the propellant gases. Moreover, such redirection has been accomplished by attachment of devices to the end of the barrel, for example, using muzzle brakes and other recoil compensators such as suppressors, which by consequence results in the extension of the barrel; generally changing the “feel” and handling of the weapon. As such, brakes and compensators, which add length, diameter, and mass to the muzzle end of a firearm, change the balance of the weapon and may, in fact, interfere with accuracy as muzzle rise will occur when the brake is removed and shooting without the brake can throw off the strike of the round. Furthermore, additional disadvantages of brakes and compensators include the damaging effects of the redirected propellant that may result not only in increased sound pressure levels that can damage ears, but also the blast may direct damaging pressure waves at the shooter and increase lead exposure for lead loaded smoke plumes that are normally projected away from the shooter become partially redirected outward to the side, or even sometimes at partially backward angles toward the shooter. Such redirected propellant also has an added effect of causing dust and debris clouds that impair visibility and reveal one's position, as well as being a hazard to individuals without eye protection.
Recent alternate solutions to recoil and muzzle redirection have addressed the internal mechanics of the weapon rather than providing attachment devices. Such solutions utilize the ability of the shooter to absorb the recoil force by partially revectoring the force of the recoil backwards and downwards into the shooter, i.e., creating a force to partially counter the muzzle redirection. In essence, these solutions only reduce, in part, the consequence of recoil rather than the recoil itself; and rely heavily on the shooter's ability to control the recoil.
As such, there is a need for new propellant based projectile weapons that reduce recoil as well as the consequences of recoil, including muzzle flip and muzzle climb, which tend to decrease manageability of current weapons, particularly when utilizing high powered ammunition.